Evenos's Wish
by Nijuu
Summary: The story of a small girl who knew Evenos and what she wanted from a group of strangers. Contains Luke/Asch, implied Jade/Dist, and a non-malignant OC. Rated T for language and the aforementioned romance. R&R please.
1. Chapter 1

Evenos's Wish

A/N: I wrote this when I was in 9th grade and have held on to it for a while. It may come off as a little childish, but it has been sitting in my documents for a while, and I thought I'd post it here. Not even I know what time it takes place. But I'll leave that up to you. The first half is humor, the second half drama, so you'll have to have a mood change in the middle there. Sorry. And my OC is just a 9-year old girl with no romantic connections, so please don't flame her/me. Implied Dist/Jade, but you can easily ignore it. Welp, here goes nothing.

Chapter 1 

The forest was denser than ever as the team pushed through and around the thick copse. "Ugh, this place never ends!" complained Luke, stopping to take a breath. Mieu panted heavily on his shoulder and whined in agreement. "I swear, if you take your eye off him for _one second_..."

"Luke, don't blame the Colonel for this," Tear admonished, pushing her silky hair back between her fingers. "Although this is a rather inconvenient detour."

Luke straigthened and looked to his left, then his right. "Yeah, not to mention we're in the middle of nowhere." He sulked back to the forest's dark ground. "Uggh, I'm so tired, and hungry..."

Natalia stepped forward, taking the lead. "Honestly, Luke. Pick yourself up and stop being such a detriment for us all. You're truly pathetic." Luke shot her a glare. "Now then, if I'm correct, I believe we need to head west for a while and we'll reach a spring."

Guy sighed and shook his head. "That can't be right, we've been going east this entire time! We would've passed it." Anise giggled and raced ahead of the princess.

"Yeah, Natalia. Maybe you should stay in the back. You don't seem to know where you're going." Weak thunder overhead threatened the storm that the clouds above held. Natalia opened her mouth to protest against the little girl, but instead fell back.

They continued a while until they reached what appeared to be a clearing. "Hey, I see light ahead!" Luke shouted, immediately running ahead. "A clearing! Maybe there're people nearby!"

"I think he forgot that we were here to look for Jade," Guy said to Natalia, who nodded. "Luke, wait up!"

The clearing was very remote, and perfectly circular. As Luke rushed into it, he soon stopped abruptly. "Huh?"

The rest of the gang walked in, and saw something none of them expected. A small girl, about nine years old, was sitting in the very center of the clearing. She had innocent, round red eyes that shone with fear and worry. She wore a tattered white dress and had whitish hair that looked darker in the stormy atmosphere. Her face was dirty, her hands cut and her legs bruised.

"Oh my!" Natalia exclaimed, rushing to the girl. "Are you alright?"

"Wait, it might be a trap!" Guy warned, but he was ignored as Tear ran forward, too.

Natalia removed her archer glove and placed a delicate hand on the girl's arm. "Dear, what happened?"

Tear gasped and touched the stranger's ankle tentatively. "Natalia, look at her foot." Her ankle was twisted and swollen, bleeding and bruised, a serious fracture apparent. "I can't imagine how this could've happened."

As she began to heal, an owl hooted to their right. Luke cleared his throat and said, "Hey, you guys. It might be getting late, and we need to find Jade."

Natalia shot him an arctic glare and huffed angrily. "Luke, even a blind man could see this child is in trouble! Jade will be fine for another five minutes, just let me help this girl!" She immediately turned back to the girl, and Guy and Luke exchanged hopeless glances.

"Are you okay? Can you stand?" Tear asked when most of the wound had been mended.

The girl looked up with her crestfallen eyes, glowing crimson. "Evenos?" she asked with a soft voice.

Tear paused, looking at Natalia. "Evenos? Ion's original..."

"I'm sorry, but we're not Evenos. He's de-" Tear silenced Natalia in midsentence. "Tear?"

The girl's eyes were already welling up though, and she looked away from the women. "Evenos..."

The bushes left of them rustled, and something growled. Guy clenched his sword hilt and glanced to the girls. "Let's get out of here."

A short while after, a giant liger jumped from the bushes, into the clearing. It roared so loudly the girl screamed and buried her face in Tear's arms. The parent liger looked from person to person before lunging for Natalia and Tear.

"Aiee!" Natalia shrieked, jumping aside. Guy and Luke ran in front of it, swords drawn. "Let's retreat, now!"

"B-but the girl!" Tear stuttered, still holding her tightly.

"Look at her eyes!" Anise shouted, running to the forest's edge. "She's evil!"

The liger struck Luke, who paid the cut no mind. "Grrr! Just take her for now! We've gotta go!" As everyone stood, the liger prepared for another attack.

They dashed to the forest's edge and made a narrow escape from the jaws of the liger. "Is everyone okay?" Luke asked when they were far enough away.

"Yes, I believe so," Natalia said, looking at the strange girl. "Even she seems to have calmed down." Indeed, the girl was sleeping soundly.

Tear shifted the girl's weight in her arms and smiled fondly. "She's so cute..."

"What was that, Tear?" Luke asked. The woman blushed and shook her head vigorously.

Looking at the girl, Natalia gasped. "My, what a beautiful necklace." Around the girl's neck was a silver chain with a small pearly-blue gem on the end. It held a mysterious yet soothing gleam inside, and looked to be valuable.

"I'll bet that's worth a fortune!" Anise exclaimed, reaching for it. Natalia slapped her hand scoldingly.

"Boo, fine. What's some homeless girl like this gonna do with it?" she groaned, crossing her arms.

"Maybe she'll give it to you if you're nice to her," Guy offered. Anise grinned evilly, but left the girl alone so she could sleep quietly.

A couple of miles later, Luke yawned. "What are we looking for again?"

"Anywhere, like a city or a town. If Jade left purposely, he probably headed for civilization," Tear explained calmly.

"And if he didn't leave purposely?" Luke inquired.

"Then...look for a creepy-looking abandoned house or a shed. If he didn't leave purposely, that means only one thing." Tear stopped there.

"You mean you...think he got kidnapped?" Tear nodded, and Luke shivered. "Then let's just look for a city."

Anise put a finger on her lips in thought, looking at the girl. "Red eyes, white hair, pale skin..." Guy looked at her questioningly. "You know what I'm thinking?"

"Uh, that she's an albino?" Anise fell in disappointment. Guy shrugged. "I don't know, what?"

"Well, who has red eyes?" she asked.

"Jade," Luke said, attempting to follow the conversation as they fell back from the girls.

"And who has white hair?" the little devil continued, raising an eyebrow with each question.

"...Frin-"

"_Dist!_" Anise corrected with a harsh whisper. "And they're both really pale, so...if they had a child-"

"Uh, that's _impossible_!" Luke pointed out loudly, only to be hushed by Anise. "Is this what you spend your time thinking about, Anise?!"

"Hey, doesn't it seem like it though? They're both so smart, they probably found out a way to have a child themselves." Anise grinned maniacally, a plotting look in her eyes.

"You mean book smart, don't you?" Luke asked hopefully.

"I mean whatever you mean," Anise said evasively.

Guy sighed and slumped his shoulders. "I sure hope you don't mean what I'm thinking."

-- -- -- --

"So, Jade. Tell me, how do you feel right now?" Dist's eerie voice said through the thick blackness.

"I..feel...like I'm tied up to a chair," Jade said flatly.

"That's because you are!! And how does _that_ make you feel?!" Dist continued, obviously very pleased with his capture. Somewhere in the dark, someone rolled their eyes.

"It makes me feel inferior, like a cornered animal. I feel totally helpless, completely and utterly under the control of your overwhelming brilliance..." Dist clapped his hands in delight, grinning broadly. "Is what I would say, but that would be giving you too much of what you want." The maniac's face fell in defeat, and stifled laughter was heard.

"Don't laugh at me!!" Dist commanded in frustration.

After a one second silence, a woman sighed. "I told you we should've bought that special on candles yesterday."

"Hey, then we wouldn't have 20 items or less," an arrogant voice said. The woman sighed again, louder this time.

Suddenly, the door swung open, a wintry breeze prevailing the room, along with a small yellow-orange light. A blank expression was lit by the light, green eyes switching from person to person in the room. He raised an eyebrow cautiously. "What?"

"Nothing! Sync, get in here! You're letting the heat out!" Dist ordered, and the boy closed the door quietly.

"What heat?" Sync asked, watching each person in the small space squint at the light.

"The heat...of this intense moment!" Dist slammed a hand on the back of Jade's chair in emphasis.

"You're losing it," Sync said blandly, setting the light on the wooden table in the center of the room. "But I didn't see her anywhere."

"See who? Someone tell me what's going on," Jade protested. "And why am I being held captive like this? It would be more reasonable to just talk to me-"

"It's more fun this way!" Dist said, cutting him off. "Now then, Jade. We know _you _know where she is. So tell us! Spill the beans!"

"Where who is?! I don't know anything!" Jade yelled back.

Dist paused, eyes wide. "Say that again."

Jade thunked his head on the back of the chair, closing his eyes. "No."

"Yes!" Dist screeched, holding the lantern up to Jade's face in intimidation.

"I don't know anything!" Jade gave up, blocking the light with closed eyes.

"Hahahahahahahaha! Blackmail!"

"Dist! You're wasting time!" the arrogant voice from earlier said from the back of the room.

Sync nodded. "Asch's right. We don't have much time before she's found, and then we'll have to start all over."

Sulking for a second, Dist continued, "So Jade, where is she? You wouldn't be in this forest if you didn't know."

Jade opened his mouth to explain that he was lost, but stopped. Biting his lip, he looked at the floor. "Alright, I'll admit it. I know where she is." Everyone in the room stood. It was like a badly choreographed film. "But I'll only tell you if you untie me."

His bonds were gone in a flash, slipping to the wooden paneling. "That's better."

"Now tell us!" Dist, Asch, and Sync demanded at the same time, leaning forward.

"Hm, I don't know. That wine over there looks pretty good..."

"Don't push it," the woman said, one hand pulling the bottle closer, the other on her revolver. (If you haven't figured out who this is yet...shame on you)

"Oh all right. Let me think..." While the others twitched with anticipation, Jade only stood in deep thought. "Well, beats me," he finally said with a casual shrug.

Asch and Sync stared in bewilderment as Dist lunged for Jade. "You just said you _knew_, you _liar_!" Jade drew his spear and raised it horizontally to block Dist's punch, using the bar so as not to draw blood from his friend.

"Ah, Saphir. If you've learned anything about me over the years, it's that a) I'm a very good liar, and b) I'm far more clever than you when it comes to getting out of traps." This only increased Dist's rage and force, which Jade used to disengage the block, sending Dist sailing into the wall.

Twirling the spear proficiently, he leered at the others with a confident smile. "Anyone else want to fight?" The God-Generals drew their weapons, eyes focused on him. "Er..."

As Sync prepared to attack, the door again burst open. "Hello, anyone here?!" a voice said obnoxiously. All eyes turned to the door.

Before the figure was visible, Asch dropped his stance and stepped back. "Oh no..."

Luke stepped into the building rashly, but froze when he saw the inside. "Oh no..."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

Luke kept his eyes locked with Asch's, mouth open. "How did...?"

"Luke! Move it!" another obnoxious voice said. Natalia's foot kicked Luke to the floor and she stepped over him. She only gasped at the sight she saw though. "Oh! The Six God-Generals!"

As the rest of the team filtered in to escape the cold, the air grew very tense. "Asch!" Luke called randomly, drawing his sword.

"Replica!" he responded, taking up his stance again.

"Badaq!" Natalia yelled, fingering her arrow's feathers.

"Meryl..." Largo stepped forward.

"Major!" Tear cried dramatically.

"Tear." Legretta drew a gun.

"Gloomietta!" Anise cracked her knuckles.

"Anise!" Arietta stomped her foot, clutching her doll tightly. "You'll pay for what you did to Ion!"

Anise raised an eyebrow and jerked back. "What the hell?"

"Arietta," Largo said quietly, shaking his head at her.

"Largo..." she said, looking down.

"Badaq!" Natalia said, snapping her fingers as if to say "pay attention to me, your enemy, not her."

"Natalia," Asch said, lowering his weapon.

"Asch!" Luke shouted, moving forward.

"Luke!" Guy held him back.

Dist recovered himself finally, walking over to the crowd. "My, what a pleasant surprise! I suppose you're here looking for Jade, aren't you? Well, too bad. He's not here."

Jade turned to Dist slowly. Dist turned to him, but quickly looked away again. "Really. He's not here." He shook his head to the crowd.

Luke looked at Jade, then back at Dist, then back at Jade. "Hey Jade, what's up?"

"Oh, not much," he said simply, putting his spear away. "Good to see you again."

"Yeah. Let's get out of here." Luke sheathed his sword and headed for the door.

"W-wait!" Sync said finally. "Who's that?!" He pointed at the girl in Tear's arms.

"Oh, this is a little girl we found in a clearing in the woods. Cute, isn't she?" Gears churned while Tear stood in confusion.

Jade shook his head and sighed, cursing his friends under his breath.

"That's her!" Sync yelled, which woke the girl immediately. They all watched the girl curiously. Dist looked at Jade, eyes flashing.

"YOU LIED AGAIN! YOU REALLY _DID_ KNOW WHERE SHE WAS!!" He tackled the colonel to the floor, shaking him by the collar of his uniform.

Holding him back by the shoulders best he could, Jade said, "What did I tell you about being a good liar?" He gave a short laugh as Dist continued to attempt his act of strangulation.

"Evenos!" The girl broke the tension and ran for Sync on her newly recovered feet. Enveloping him in a hug, Sync didn't move for a moment.

"Huh? Get off me!" He tried to pry the girl off, but she was insistent. Finally, he looked up at everyone else, who were just staring at the two fondly. "D-don't just stand there!"

"She thinks you're Evenos," Arietta clarified. "It's best to play along if we want to get her in our grasp," she said, trying to be quiet.

"You mean, you're trying to take her?!" Tear cried, looking at Luke. "We've got to get out of here! She's in trouble!"

"And so are you!" Legretta yelled, firing her gun. Tear dodged the first one, then blocked the other with one of her knives. "You can't escape!"

"We need to go!" Natalia opened the door, but many people were occupied. "Everyone!"

"I...can't...! You run, Natalia!" Luke said through clenched teeth, trying to hold off Largo's axe's weight. Parrying him off, he fell to the floor. Largo raised his weapon and brought it down, Luke narrowly rolling out of the way. "Damn!"

"I will stay and fight!" Natalia shot an arrow at Largo, who caught it and snapped it as if it were nothing. "Stand down!"

Jade finally turned the tables on Dist, shifting over and pinning his arms to the floor. "I don't know what you all plan on doing to that girl, but I won't allow it."

Guy approached Sync. "Hand her over!"

Sync shrugged. "Okay, come and get her." Guy took one step forward, then froze, narrowing his eyes. He knew he couldn't get her if he wanted. "That's what I thought." Suddenly, a knife came toward Sync. He dodged it, but barely. It was Tear's.

"Sync, just get the jewel and let them have the kid!" Asch called, but Sync didn't move. He looked again at the girl, who was cuddling him affectionately. "Sync!"

Asch jumped over the table and reached for the girl's necklace. Once he'd almost had it, the girl screamed and let go of Sync. The jewel lit up with a blinding flash and illuminated the whole room. "Wh-what's going on?!"

"_Evenos_..." the girl said strangely, looking at Sync with understanding eyes. The light continued to grow, and before another word could be said, a form of an explosion went off.

The roof flew off the top of the shack and twelve figures were blasted into six different directions. Fierce thunder rumbled in the distance as the bodies scattered in pairs to lost and uncharted areas of the forest.

-- Drama begins (Get your drama cap on!)

"Oww..." Dist opened his eyes, only to see Jade looking down at him with concern. "Eeh?!"

"Good, you're awake," Jade said with a sincere smile. Dist only glared at him suspiciously. "By the way, we're lost."

Getting up on his knees, Dist looked at the sky, either in prayer or checking the weather. He said nothing, just closed his eyes. Jade stepped closer to him. "So, since we're out here, you want to tell me the story about this girl?"

After a moment's pause, Dist stood. "Her name is Oseve. (Pronounced oh-SEEV) She is a replica." Jade's eyes widened, surprised at his inability to notice it the first time. "In her previous life, she had been Evenos's sister. Since he died, her original had been so upset by his death that she killed herself. She was nine years old at the time.

"Her replica is no doubt set on one thing only, and that's finding Evenos. That was all her original was thinking about when she killed herself. She had been replicated right before her suicide. By who, I don't know."

Jade was quiet for a while, then he too looked at the sky. "It might rain. Perhaps were should get moving." Dist nodded. "Saphir, let's set aside our hate for each other for right now and get out of here alive."

Dist looked up in surprise. "Jade..." He looked down, then back up at Jade. "You're right. Let's go." They walked a short distance before they heard a loud cry, piercing the clouded sky. Exchanging glances, they nodded and ran through the woods to the source of the voice.

Oseve.

--

Anise opened her eyes and blinked furiously. Looking down, she saw that she had landed on Arietta, who woke at the exact same time as her. The two leapt off each other, to opposite ends of a small clearing. "Y-you!" Anise spat, clenching her fists.

"Anise, let's not fight!" Arietta said, hugging her doll. "We need to find out what that power was..."

"It's nothing! I'm outta here though! We're totally lost." Anise kicked the dirt beneath her feet and pouted. Suddenly, a loud, mourning shriek was heard through the air above them.

Arietta blinked, then looked at Anise sternly. "That was the girl. Oseve."

"So?" Anise shrugged, putting her hands on her hips.

"Anise, we must go help her." Arietta's plea seemed futile.

"What?" The dark-haired girl scoffed. "Help her?"

"She...she's just like us." Arietta's tone grew more and more grave with each sentence. "She lost Evenos...and we both lost Ion." Anise relaxed and looked at the ground emptily, her eyes softening. "If you think about how she must feel, we can't abandon her."

Anise glared at Arietta once more with malice, but then said, "Alright, if you're so set on helping her, then I'll stay with you." For the first time in a long time, Arietta smiled and nodded her thanks. "Now let's go!"

--

Branches snapped and leaves were crushed as Sync paced quickly through the forest, Guy on his heels. "Where are you going?" Guy asked.

"To find Asch," Sync replied absently, keeping his eyes dead ahead.

Just as the words "how come" were on Guy's lips, a shrill cry erupted from the opposite direction of Sync's path. Neither of them stopped walking, and Guy wondered if Sync had heard it at all. He knew straight off, however, that it was Oseve.

"That was the girl," Guy explained. Sync said nothing. "She's back there, and she needs help. I know you heard it. We should go save her." Guy's persuasion efforts were being ignored. With a sigh, Guy said, "Are you listening to me?"

"She's a worthless replica, just like me," Sync said bitterly, quickening his pace. "I'm not saving her."

Guy reached forward and grabbed Sync's wrist. The boy tried to shake him off, but Guy, being much stronger, turned him around and held him still. "I hear that kind of shit from Luke all the time! Replicas aren't worthless! She's not worthless, _you're _not worthless!" Sync narrowed his eyes and said something inaudible. "Replica or not, that girl is Evenos's sister. You're the one who told me that!"

Sync grabbed Guy's arm, which was involuntarily twisting Sync's wrist. "Stop...that hurts..." he pleaded, his voice beginning to break up. Guy loosened his grip a bit, but still held the boy in place.

"You're a replica of Evenos," Guy explained, softening his voice. Sync's shoulders shook and he bowed his head, isolated tears beginning to fall. "I think Evenos would have wanted you and Ion to carry out the role he was incapable of."

As Guy let go of him, Sync grasped both of the man's arms. He pressed his tear-stained face into Guy's shoulder, his uneasy breathing muffled by Guy's shirt. "So don't you think he would want Oseve to be alive as well? Even if it is just a replica?" Guy continued, holding Sync in comfort.

Sync's grip on Guy tightened as he drew in a shaky breath. Guy held him closer and stroked his hair gently. "It'll be okay," he said soothingly.

The replica lifted his head from Guy's shoulder and pushed the rest of his tears out with a few blinks. "Yeah...I'm okay..." Guy smiled in relief and took Sync's hands. With a unstable, cracking voice, Sync finally said, "Let's go save her."

--

"I'm looking for that child regardless!" Tear shouted to Legretta. "You should come with me, Major."

Legretta looked from the forest edge to her student, placing a hand on her holster. "I don't think so, Tear."

"M-Major?" Tear's blue eyes widened as she looked down the barrel of Legretta's handgun. Even at about seven yards away, she knew her teacher could still shoot her in no time. She was often admonished for her lack of reflexes as things were.

"I will reach Oseve first," Legretta said with determination.

Tear kept her eyes locked with Legretta, reaching around for a knife. "If it's the jewel you're looking for, Asch most likely has it." To this, Legretta scoffed and jerked her head, tossing her blonde bangs from her eyes.

"All men want is power," she said solemnly.

"You mean you're after something else?" Tear said, distracting the woman with words as she arranged the knives between her fingers, behind her back. Legretta nodded, the gun beginning to shake.

Legretta's arm grew weaker and her voice too shook. "That jewel means nothing to me."

"Then what, Major? What is it that you want?" Tear felt something heavy coming from her instructor. An aura? Or was it merely emotion? "What is it you want?!"

Legretta's erratic thumb flicked a switch on the gun, and it clicked with preparation. Placing her finger on the trigger of the loaded gun, a single tear slid down her cheek, eyes empty. "A daughter."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Luke/Asch in this chapter. And extreme cheesiness at the end.

Chapter 3 

Tear gasped, but was forced to regain composure as Legretta pulled the trigger. Another narrow dodge. "What will you accomplish by killing me?"

"You would take that girl from me!" Legretta got out her other gun, pointing them in opposite directions to minimize Tear's escape routes. "And you abandoned Van! Your own brother."

"Then just adopt a child!" Tear attempted to reason, launching a knife at Legretta. The woman shot the weapon though, ricocheting it back. It landed on the soft grass, where Legretta picked it up and tossed it aside.

"Oseve is an excellent opportunity. Adoption is a hassle." She shot again, and Tear blocked again. "Now give up!"

"I'm sorry, Major," Tear said with control, "but I will not put that girl in such violent hands. I will not allow it!" She drew her staff and the two women dashed at each other. Their duel was short and highly exhausting. A lonesome cry broke their silence.

"That's her...!" Tear said, looking from the sky to Legretta. Their eyes narrowed, and in a flash, they were racing each other to the source.

--

Natalia's arrow stretched the bow's string with a near-silent creak. "Just what were you all planning to do with that child?!" she shouted to Largo, who was standing calmly at the other end of her arrow. "Were you planning to kill her?!"

"Meryl, you and her are a lot alike." He watched as she lowered her weapon and looked up at him curiously. "You both want something you know you can't get."

"What?" Natalia asked, frozen. "What do you mean?"

"Oseve wants her brother back. Evenos." Fixing his eyes on her, he asked, "What is it that you want?"

"What _do _I want?" she asked back, raising her weapon again. Taking offense, she continued, "You know I want something. What?"

"Is it freedom for Kimlasca? Peace between countries? To see your mother again?" The princess faltered. "To see Asch again?"

She finally put her arrow and bow away. "Yes...I do want things like that. I desire for them. I yearn for them. But I know there are things people want, and things they need." Looking up, she asked, "So what did you want? Why did you search for that girl, Oseve?" He said nothing. "What were you after?"

Largo looked at her with a look so tender, it could only be intended for a daughter. He knew then his wish. "The jewel...it has the power..."

--

"The power to create or destroy anything..." Asch mumbled to himself, fingering the piece in his fingers delicately. Turning it to the remaining light, he saw the prism inside, and the spectrum of colors past the pearly blue surface. Luke shifted by his side, but Asch didn't notice.

"Wh-what'd you say?" Luke asked, still tired and confused about being spirited across the forest. He looked at Asch, both of them laying on their stomaches on the plushy forest ground in a small clearing. "Hey, the jewel thing!" He knocked it from Asch's hands and stood abruptly. Asch followed suit.

"Hey!" They both turned and saw it land a few feet off. Like mirrors, they both drew their swords at the same moment, same speed. A chilling wind blew, a distinct haze beginning to form. Luke turned his eyes to the jewel for half a second before refocusing on Asch.

"What's that?" he asked with a jerk of his head.

"It's a jewel...called _Evenos's Wish_." They both stepped one step closer to it. "It grants the possesser one wish. And it's mine now."

"Don't you think that may have been intended for Evenos?" Luke asked with a hint of sarcasm. "Not you. He wanted his sister to have it."

"He's dead now," Asch said harshly. Luke leapt forward and took a swing at Asch, who blocked it reflexively, but lost his balance. Luke pushed him back on his back and sat on him, his knees holding his original still.

"Dead or not, that's his property," Luke replied, taking another short glance at the gem. It was unfortunatly very close to Asch, and they both knew it. Asch reached for it at the same time Luke pinned his arms down.

"Y-you'd better get off me...or I'll use it to get rid of you," Asch struggled to say, his lungs crushed.

"Let's just talk this over," he said, thinking of a way to get the jewel further away. He couldn't hold Asch's arms back much longer as the man's fingers inched closer to the stone. "What would you really wish for?"

"I would...wish for my life back." With an abhorrent glare, he continued, "The life _you_ took from me."

Luke flinched at the words, but leaned forward. After a second's hesitation, he pressed his lips against Asch's with all the force he could muster. Asch reacted by freezing up for a second, then biting his replica's lip until it nearly bled. Luke gasped and backed off, still holding him down though.

"Wh-what was that?!" Asch pushed his arms against Luke's hands in attempt to defend himself, but he was overpowered. "Replica, you'd better not-!"

"Asch, I just want you to understand..." Luke trailed off, licking Asch's jaw until he reached his lips again. He heard Asch groan in protest and his muscles tensed, but he managed to slip his tongue between the God-General's lips.

He knew Asch had given in once he felt him return the kiss and relax. That's when Luke reached over and took the jewel. Asch saw this.

Rising clumsily, Luke ran to the forest, Asch chasing him. "I'm returning this!" Luke called behind him, sprinting at full speed. Of course, they ran the exact same speed, so he didn't fear being caught.

"Oh no you don't!" Asch and Luke both looked up as the sound of a girl's scream filled the foggy sky. "It's coming from the south!" he announced to himself, which was all Luke needed to find the right way to go. Asch was just too dumb to realize he gave Luke the answer.

Glancing at a tree and seeing the moss on the side, Luke turned left and dashed southward.

--

Dist and Jade reached the clearing first, followed shortly by Anise, Arietta, Sync, and Guy. A gunshot was heard on the other side and Tear emerged, Legretta hot on her heels. They both stopped when they reached the clearing. Largo and Natalia, who had been the closest, calmly walked to the forest edge. "Oh, my!"

In the center of the clearing, Oseve was sitting. Tears were streaming down her face, and her body was weaving in and out of existence. She was disintigrating.

A heavy rain started to pour down, and soon after, the last two rushed into the clearing. Luke tripped over a root and fell as Asch lunged on his back. Grabbing Luke by the hair, he shoved his face into the mud. "Graah! That's what you get for kissing me!" he cried with vengeance.

"Mmmmph!" Luke tried, pointing frantically at the center of the clearing. Asch froze and looked up, seeing the girl. Once Luke was exposed to air again, he said, "It's Oseve! She's in trouble!"

Dist stared in thought at the girl. "Do you know what this means, Jade?" he asked.

"I think you may be right. That jewel," he turned to Luke, "is Oseve's very source of life. Without it, she will perish. The only question is: how long will she last?"

Sync bit his lip in panic. "So save her! Please!" he shouted with a newfound sympathy for the girl.

Tear and Natalia ran forward through the downpour to the girl's side. They began healing, but their efforts were in vain. "It's no good! The jewel!"

Largo picked Luke up by his shirt collar and held him off the ground. Asch took the jewel from the replica's tight grasp, without first ripping the boy's palm with his fingernail. The jewel was his now.

"Asch, no!" Luke protested as he was set back down. "Give it to her!"

Asch looked from Luke, to Oseve, and then the jewel. Largo looked at Natalia, then at Asch. As their eyes met, they nodded to each other and Asch walked over to Sync. "Here," he said, handing the boy the necklace. "It seems more appropriate if you...save her."

Natalia gasped in shock at the conclusion she didn't expect, and she and Tear stepped back from the suffering girl, who's voice was clouded with chokes and sobs, her eyes stained with tears and rain. Sync walked forward slowly, kneeling before the girl.

He placed the silver chain and azure pearl around her neck. A radiant shine filled the clearing and Sync was forced to head back to the edge of the circle. The glow brightened and when it faded, Oseve was free from her torment and fright. A frosty wind blew, summoning the tempest, but they paid no mind.

"I want to grant you all a wish," she said, her voice clear. It was the first time she'd said anything other than "Evenos". "You all set aside your differences as enemies to save me, and I think Evenos...would want you to be happy." With a small smile, she looked around. "All of you."

There was a small silence as everyone wondered if she was serious. Oseve's expression remained the same until Sync stepped forward again.

"I want...to have value," he said, feeling his throat tighten. The jewel began to glow again, though dimly. Guy went to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I want people to understand each other." Sync looked up and Guy smiled down at him. "Everyone." The glow intensified.

"I want my friends to be free," Arietta said into her doll, referring to her animals.

"I want poverty to end," Anise said with downcast eyes, thinking of her parents. Again, the jewel brightened.

"I wish war would cease," Natalia stated, determination in her eyes as she invisioned Kimlasca's past wars.

"I want my daughter, Meryl, to find happiness," Largo said, moving to her side. She looked up at him, then smiled her thanks.

"I want for Evenos to rest peacefully," Tear said with a smile, placing her hands on her heart. "And Ion too." She turned to Legretta.

"I...I want to have someone..." Legretta forced herself to say, shortly before she collapsed in a crying heap. Tear offered solace as the gem's luminosity grew.

"I want you to be safe out here, alone, Oseve," Jade said with a content smile.

"I want for fomicry to never be used for bad reasons again," Dist said, thinking of all the replicas around him. The jewel was near blinding now.

"I want replicas to be accepted," Asch said, looking at Luke.

Finally, Luke moved forward. Looking back at Asch, then the light, he grinned with confidence. "I want us all to go back home!"

The blinding light consumed the clearing, then the forest, and they were again spirited across the continent.

The jewel of Evenos's Wish shattered with the fufillment of so many wishes. For his had been granted.

Fin


End file.
